This is our basic overview for Topamax, and is a brief summary of what we know about it. Clicking on a link for an "Expanded…” page will take you to a section with greater detail. The Comprehensive Topamax pages contain the information from all of the "Expanded…” pages.

Currently the only modern AED approved by the FDA that you can take by itself to treat both generalized, flopping around tonic-clonic seizures as well as partial seizures. You’re more likely to lose weight than gain weight. Can (but doesn’t always) work for migraines at 25mg a day with barely any side effects after a few weeks. Can (but doesn’t always) work for seizures at 100mg a day.

Topamax may encourage you to stop smoking, in that you may just not like to smoke after you start and withdrawal symptoms won’t be as bad. Topamax can mess with lithium levels in seemingly random ways, and taking it along with Depakote or any other valproate can cause hypothermia (excessively low body temperature) and/or hyperammonemia (elevated ammonia in your blood), so taking Topamax to lose medication-induced weight gain can get tricky.